Thanks to all who've reviewed so far, especially Butterflydance21 for the really encouraging recent one. I must admit, I was starting to wonder whether I would bother to continue posting but it's given me a push to continue for another while.
Hope you enjoy this chapter. It drives the plot forward a good distance, though I admit I prefer writing the shippy stuff!
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They were met by a woman at the top of the stairs who asked them to follow her along the gangway. Red felt Sophie's hand grip his tighter and he squeezed it in reassurance, though he felt nothing of his usual arrogance or flair.
Khalil Khan was a tall, thin man with an almost sickly look. He was pale and wore a tight white shirt that emphasized his rakishness. He stood when they entered his domain.
"Raymond Reddington, in the flesh, in my club."
"Like what you've done with the place," Red said, offering a handshake, "This is my associate, Ms Lily Bloom."
Khalil also shook her hand though seemed largely unimpressed by her beauty. Perhaps she was too old, Red thought to himself. They sat and Khalil offered drinks which Red declined on their behalf – he'd learned that lesson the hard way back when he first embraced this lifestyle.
"I'm told you have a business proposition for me?" Khalil said with a hint of smarminess that Red immediately disliked. But he smiled and played his part, nodding his head.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I want to invest in your operation." He could feel Sophie tensing beside him and he tapped her leg with his as a warning to stay calm. Khalil stared at him, mulling the notion over in his head.
"I was under the impression that Raymond Reddington didn't approve of 'my operation'," he said pointedly and Red nodded his head.
"I admit that I've found it...morally objectionable in the past. But I'm in need of some strings in my bow and I see a lot of opportunity in this business – for me and you."
He felt his stomach churn slightly as he spoke. But he'd known that this would have to be his route in, these guys weren't going to dutifully tell him what he wanted to know without some incentive. Luckily Sophie seemed to be playing along, he had worried that she might blow their cover but she was obviously sharp enough to recognize his play. He felt obnoxious for thinking that she wouldn't.
"And just what opportunity is there for me? You are wanted in every country in the world, aligning myself with you...that's a risk I don't need to take..." Khalil's lip curved in the beginning of a sneer that he reined in at the last minute.
"Ah but you do," Red replied quickly and Khalil frowned.
"Explain."
Red took a deep breath and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, brushing a hand along the outside of Sophie's thigh as he did.
"You run your logistics through Mercer Browne. Don't act surprised, I was a spy, I was paid to know things and it's in my interest to know them now. What you don't know is that a Mercer Browne ship was impounded in Valencia tonight – guns, refugees, contraband – you name it, it was on that ship. By the time you wake up tomorrow morning, Mercer Browne's ships, stocks and assets will be frozen by Interpol, leaving you with you plenty of buyers, plenty of merchandise, and no way of getting it out of the country."
Khalil's eyes widened and he beckoned the woman who'd met them at the stairs to his side. He whispered something in her ear and she scampered away.
"And I suppose you have a logistics operation out of Marrakech?" Khalil asked sardonically.
"As a matter of fact, I do. Truth be told, I was tempted to shut it down, it just didn't have the footfall, more trouble than it was worth but...with Mercer Browne out of the picture, it might just be about to bear fruit," he said with a smug grin.
Khalil bit his lip in thought so Red continued to hammer the nail in.
"I must say, jamming a ship with so much contraband is a real rookie move, I would have expected better from someone in the game as long as those guys. If I were them, I'd be buried in the deepest, darkest underground lair I could find because the type of people who are going to be looking for them right about now... Sheesh..." He shuddered and raised his eyebrows for dramatic effect.
Khalil looked up suddenly to his assistant who was simply nodding her head. He took a deep breath and nodded.
"Ok Mr Reddington. Let's say we have a deal, what would you need?"
Here we go, Red thought to himself. He shrugged, feigning indifference.
"When's the next shipment supposed to go out?"
"Day after tomorrow."
Red nodded, pursing his lips as if deep in thought, ran a hand through his hair.
"I'll have to arrange some re-routing," he lied, again feigning deep concentration, "But it'll be doable. Might be a bit tight but my logistics man is a magician. Literally, performs these outrageous card tricks with his eyes closed. I stacked a deck with nothing but twos and threes one day, and he still found a Joker. Fitting really..."
Khalil was glaring at him but Red was starting to enjoy himself. Getting the upper hand always gave him a kind of inner peace that manifested itself to the outside world as undisguised and unabashed glee.
"I'll have my associate Dembe run some paperwork to you tomorrow. If we can stall loading until the last possible moment, the likelihood of inspection falls dramatically – these guys have schedules to keep and most ports have paid off authorities to ensure it's kept that way."
Khalil nodded and agreed that the timeline would be possible.
"Oh, one other thing..." Red mused suddenly, "What's the age range? Of the merchandise?"
Once again, he felt Sophie tense up beside him and he sat back in his seat, bringing his arm behind to draw soothing circles on her bare back with his finger. He needed her to stay calm.
Khalil shrugged, "Anywhere from 15 up to 22, 23, younger sometimes, though the demand there is huge so we try to make that an even more exclusive catch. If they look young and innocent, that's what clients go for..."
Red nodded his head quickly, afraid that his grimace would give him away if not. He asked how clients selected their merchandise.
"We ship once a month. In between that, we're like Macy's. We send order catalogs," he grinned and Red forced himself to let out an amused guffaw, saying "Well, what do you know..."
Red paused for a moment, before asking, "How would I go about acquiring one of those catalogs?"
Khalil frowned and pointed curiously at Red who shook his head frantically.
"Oh no, no, no, not me. But I've got a business acquaintance who I'm trying to turn into a business partner and he's got... certain proclivities, shall we say..."
Khalil nodded in understanding, "Give your name and address to Elena on your way out, I'll see that one gets delivered to you first thing tomorrow. If you like the look of anything, there'll be a direct line listed in the package."
Red nodded and smiled, reaching his hand out to shake with Khalil again. The Moroccan didn't release his hand however and Red frowned at him. Khalil's eyes shot to Sophie.
"What about her?"
Red opened his mouth wide, feigning surprise.
"Oh my goodness, yes. I almost forgot the best part. Lily here runs a modeling agency in London – first-timers mostly, about one-in-ten actually make it into the industry but we've known each other for years and she's open to collaborating with some local photographers here for international shoots that might prove...fruitful, shall we say?"
There was a dangerous glint in Khalil's eye that transformed into nothing short of an evil grin.
"We are always looking to diversify. It will be good to have you on board Ms Bloom."
Sophie chuckled and nodded her head, lifting a hand and dropping it on Red's thigh, higher than what would be considered a friendly touch, "Yes, I've been looking for an opportunity to sink my teeth into and it's...practically impossible to say no to Red."
"Yes, we noticed that you two seem quite taken with each other," he replied disinterestedly. Red smirked and moved to stand. He'd learned not to outstay a welcome – also the hard way. The three shook hands again and Red gave his details to Khalil's associate as they headed for the stairs. He watched as Khalil beckoned her again and he had no doubt that the catalog wouldn't take long to be delivered.
He guided Sophie down the stairs and exhaled. It felt like he finally had the chance to breathe again.
"I need a drink," he muttered in her ear and she nodded in agreement.